Contents

Overview

Aang brings Katara and Sokka to Kyoshi Island to ride the giant koi fish, but after a close encounter with the unagi, the team is captured by a group of female warriors. Aang reveals he is a reincarnation of Kyoshi Island's founder, Avatar Kyoshi, so the villagers celebrate the arrival of the Avatar. Word of the Avatar's arrival eventually reaches Zuko, who sails to Kyoshi Island immediately. Sokka befriends the warrior leader, Suki, who manages to change his sexist attitude. She teaches Sokka the warrior skills of Kyoshi and develops a crush on him in the process. However, Zuko attacks the village and nearly burns it down in pursuit of Aang. Team Avatar is forced to leave the village. As they depart, the young Avatar throws himself into the water and comes up riding the unagi, which, under his direction, sprays water from its mouth and onto the village, saving it from total ruin.

Synopsis

The episode begins with Zuko's ship adrift at sea. Zuko is meditating when Iroh comes in with information regarding the Avatar. Iroh begs Zuko not to become angry, to which the prince calmly replies that he can control his temper. However, when Iroh states that he does not have any information about the Avatar's current location, Zuko becomes furious anyway. Iroh explains that there have been multiple sightings of Aang, but he is impossible to track, showing his nephew a detailed map of where he has been located. Zuko quickly takes the map and declares that Aang is "obviously a master of evasive maneuvering".

Meanwhile, Aang, Katara, and Sokka are flying on Appa as Sokka indicates Aang's total lack of navigational skills – a stark contrast against Zuko's perception. Katara is sewing Sokka's trousers, while Aang is trying to get her attention and impress her with his new airbending trick that involves spinning three marbles in a rapid, circular motion. However, being preoccupied, Katara ignores him. Sokka makes a sexist comment, and Katara throws his trousers, which have not been completely re-sewn, back at him. He quickly regrets what he said, telling Katara that he cannot wear his pants as they still have a large hole in them.

Aang lands Appa on a small Earth Kingdomisland with Sokka informing him that they have taken too many detours recently, which they cannot afford if they want to reach the North Pole. A large fish springs out of the water, and Aang proclaims that it is why they came here, and he subsequently strips down to his underwear. As he tries to show off his moves to Katara by riding on the back of an elephant koi, he is attacked by the unagi, a gigantic, gray eel that is native to southwestern Earth Kingdom waters. Terrified, he runs back to land and redresses into his airbender attire. Suddenly, the group is ambushed by a mysterious group of warriors. Katara, Sokka, and Aang are kidnapped and tied to a pole. When the warriors reveal themselves to be the group's ambushers, Sokka, upon seeing they are all female, remarks with misogynistic and sarcastic disbelief that there is no way a "bunch of girls took [them] down". One of the warriors threatens to throw him to the unagi, but Katara intercedes, apologizing by saying he often says stupid things like that.

The islanders demand to know their reason for being there, to which Aang boyishly says that they came to ride elephant koi. Oyaji, the island's leader, is skeptical, suspicious that they may be Fire Nation spies. He states that Kyoshi Island has stayed out of the Hundred Year War, and that he intends to keep it that way. Aang quickly responds with the fact that the island is named after Kyoshi, and reveals that he knows her. The leader of the warriors, Suki, states that to be impossible, with Oyaji elaborating that Avatar Kyoshi died over four hundred years prior. Aang answers their questions by telling them that he is the new Avatar, but the people of Kyoshi believe he is lying and want to throw the impostor to the unagi. To prove that he is in fact the long-lost Avatar, he airbends his way out of his predicament; the act immediately convinces the villagers, who look on in awe.

The news of the Avatar's return travels from person to person, and news finally reaches Zuko and Iroh. Zuko jumps up in surprise and readies to depart to Kyoshi Island.

Aang and Katara enjoy a delicious meal of desserts and treats, charitably given from the town while Sokka lies on the floor, still somewhat beside himself at being defeated by girls. In Aang's honor, the town's people clean up the statue of Avatar Kyoshi. Later, Aang shows off to the young women of Kyoshi as they chase him around, much to Katara's annoyance.

Sokka sees the Kyoshi Warriors practicing and asks where he might get a good workout. Suki asks if he wants to show off some of his 'moves'. He tries to demonstrate his techniques, but is brought down by Suki. He stammers that he was going easy on her but ultimately fails on his next attempt as well, as she ties him arm-to-leg and swings him to the ground. He leaves the dojo in embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Katara asks Aang if he can help her carry some supplies for their journey. Aang declines and asks Katara if she would like to go with him and the pack of young village girls on a trip on Appa, which she rejects. Aang accuses her of being jealous of him being in the company of the girls so often. Having had enough, Katara angrily walks off.

Sokka returns to the training area and bows before Suki, admitting he would be honored to be trained by her. She makes sure he will not care about being trained by a girl, and he admits that he said some inappropriate things before and apologizes. She agrees on the conditions that he undergo all their traditions, including adopting the uniform of a Kyoshi Warrior. He complains about being in a dress, to which Suki replies by pointing out the symbols of honor and bravery that make up the uniform. Just as Sokka begins feeling proud to wear the uniform, Aang walks by giggling, complimenting Sokka on his "nice dress".

Suki begins training Sokka in the art of Kyoshi style fighting. After a little while of training, Sokka believes he is starting to understand the form, but chucks his weapon out the door moments later. Suki laughs, saying it is not about strength; it is about using an opponent's force against them and waiting until the right moment to strike. Sokka manages to knock down Suki who, embarrassed, says it was on purpose, but subsequently admits she was knocked down and asks him to try it again.

Aang informs Katara that he is going to locate the unagi and ride the creature. After a heated exchange, Aang runs off to ride the beast. Aang is in the water with the young ladies on the beach impatiently waiting for the unagi's arrival. After what seems like forever to them, the girls decide to leave. Katara shows up and they each apologize for their behavior before starting to make fun of it. However, the unagi soon appears, thrashing around and throwing Aang violently into the water, causing him to fall unconscious.

As the unagi swims toward Aang to finish the attack, Katara rapidly swims to the rescue, grabbing a hold of Aang and using her waterbending to propel herself toward land. When she comes ashore after a fast escape, she hides behind some rocks, where she spots Fire Nation troops approaching. After they pass, she waterbends water out of Aang's throat. Aang coughs and wakes up, telling her to not ride the unagi.

Oyaji runs to Sokka, Suki, and the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors, urging them for help. They run toward the commotion, and a battle ensues. They proficiently demonstrate their abilities and skills, taking out many firebenders even though they are outnumbered. The Fire Nation troops, led by Zuko, burn the town as they search for the Avatar. The Kyoshi Warriors attack them, knocking Zuko and several of his men from their rhinos. Suki and several other Kyoshi Warriors surround Zuko, and in order to escape, he uses firebending. He calls out to Aang, sarcastically complimenting him on his use of the Kyoshi Warriors as an advance defensive force. He sees Aang, and they engage in a short battle, which results in further damage to the town. Distressed by this realization, Aang flees to find Katara. Aang wishes he could have prevented this destruction to the town, however, Katara tells him that if they flee, the firebenders will follow them. Aang, with no other options, agrees.

Suki urges Sokka to hurry and leave, but he says he will not leave her, at least not without an apology. She asks why, and he explains that he treated her like a girl instead of a warrior. Suki kisses him on his cheek, telling him that while she is a warrior, she is a girl as well, causing Sokka to blush. She returns to battle, giving Aang and his companions a chance to escape.

Aang, Katara, and Sokka leave as the town is being set on fire, and Zuko and his followers pursue him again. As they begin to fly off, Katara tries to assure Aang that he did the right thing, as Zuko and his men would have burnt down the entire village if they had remained. Aang suddenly leaps down from Appa's back into the waters of the bay. A moment later, the unagi bursts out of the water with Aang clinging onto its whiskers. With some struggle, he manages to gain footing on the giant eel's head, directing it toward the burning village. The unagi spews a blast of water from its mouth, extinguishing the fires. Aang leaps into the air and is caught by Appa; the three promptly fly away into the sunset as the unagi swims underneath them.

While Sokka undergoes training, Suki is the first to promote the importance of treating the weapon, in this case a metal fan, as an extension of one's self. In "Sokka's Master", Piandao reiterates the same principle to Sokka as he learns the way of the sword. Furthermore, in "The Firebending Masters", Toph herself admits to the significance of the principle when she recalls learning earthbending from the badgermoles not only as a martial art, but as an extension of her senses.

This is the first time Katara bends liquid from inside a person's body. After saving Aang from the unagi, Katara bends water out of Aang's lungs in order to help him breathe. She bends in such a way again by using bloodbending in both "The Puppetmaster" and "The Southern Raiders".

The technique Zuko uses to knock Sokka and two Kyoshi Warriors down when he is on the floor and surrounded is the same move he uses to defeat both his opponents in both Agni Kais shown during the series.

This is one of the few episodes where Prince Zuko is shown wearing a Fire Nation helmet.

Character revelations

Aang reveals that Kyoshi was one of his past lives.

Goofs

Before the team was captured by the Kyoshi Warriors, Aang put his clothes back on except for his outer yellow pants. After being tied up in the next frame, he is seen wearing his pants.

When the Kyoshi Warriors capture Team Avatar, Momo is over half the size of Aang's body.

When the entrance to the village is shown, a large mountain can be seen behind it, implying the village to be in a valley. However, in "Avatar Day", this mountain is not seen in the same spot.

Oyaji claims that Avatar Kyoshi has "been dead for centuries". For this to be true, she must have been dead for at least 200 years. However, Kyoshi had only been dead for 182 years when Team Avatar first visited Kyoshi Island in late 99 AG.

When the statue of Avatar Kyoshi is first shown, the color is significantly faded. When Aang jumps into the air, however, the color appears to be normal. The color was not restored until later in the episode.

When Aang exclaims, "That's me!" to the village, the rope is not tied around him.

When Aang shows the people of Kyoshi his marble trick while Sokka and Katara are tied to the statue of Kyoshi, Sokka's hair is colored incorrectly.

The amount of Kyoshi Warriors shown while Sokka enters their dojo for the first time changed multiple times.

When Sokka mocks the Warriors' routine for being a dance lesson, a total of five Kyoshi Warriors are shown. When the shot changes to a side view, there are six warriors.

As Suki throws Sokka on the ground when he charges her, there are seven warriors in total.

When Suki binds Sokka's left arm and right foot together, causing him to hop around, there are seven girls watching them, making for eight warriors in total.

When Sokka falls on the ground after hopping around, there are only six Kyoshi Warriors watching, making a total of seven.

When Sokka charges Suki after being thrown on the ground, Suki is standing in front of a wall decorated with two blue fans when she swings him around and other Kyoshi Warriors in the dojo have disappeared. After Sokka is tied up, they reappear in front of the blue fans and Suki is standing more to the left.

Suki ties Sokka's left hand to his right foot with the white band he wears around his waist. When he falls on the ground, however, the band has turned into a brown rope.

When Suki swings Sokka around, the strap on his right shoulder tying his boomerang to his back disappears when a close-up of a screaming Sokka is shown and when his hand and foot are tied together.

When Suki removes Sokka's belt, the strap is over his left shoulder as opposed to his right.

When Aang is talking to Katara in the marketplace, there is a background character who appears to be arguing with the corner of a house.

When Sokka goes to the training area the second time, one of the girls' arms seems to disappear behind the person that is behind her.

When Sokka and Suki are training, Sokka throws a fan, but in the next clip, both fans are in his belt; the same thing happened with Suki.

When Aang and Katara are arguing, the bottom part of Katara's braid is missing.

Normally, the unagi has dark gray skin with a lighter gray line running over its back, flanking the dark gray pointed finlets lining its spine. However, when an overview shot depicts Aang being lifted out of the water by the unagi, the light gray line has disappeared, and in the shot showing Aang clutching onto one of those finlets, recovering from a water blast, the line is back, though the finlets are also colored light gray.

In the close-up of Aang being lifted out of the water by the unagi, one of the finlets near Aang has two small nicks in them. They are absent in all the following shots.

Katara mentions Zuko by name, despite none of the team having been shown to have learned his name in previous episodes.

When Aang and his friends fly off to lead the Fire Nation away from Kyoshi Island, the Fire Nation ship is nowhere to be found on the shore.

When leaving Kyoshi Island, Sokka was looking back at the island, but in the next scene he is washing off the makeup on his face.

In the Finnish dub, all the references to unagi in this episode are replaced by the Finnish equivalent of fish (plural), or on one occasion, Giant Carp.

The Kyoshi Warriors have stripes on their arms, but they seem to disappear at times.

Trivia

Aang's statement to Sokka about not needing pants where they were headed to becomes a reality later when Sokka ends up wearing a dress as part of the Kyoshi warrior uniform to be trained by Suki.

A very old Nickelodeon website separate from the one commonly used on this wiki for referencing called this episode "Kyoshi Island".[1]

The fighting style of the Kyoshi Warriors is similar to the waterbending tactic of turning their defense to offense. This is also a tactic of Ninjutsu.

In this episode, Sokka receives his first kiss.

The scene when the girls are chasing Aang is based on the Beatles film A Hard Day's Night.

Sokka is the first outsider to become a Kyoshi Warrior, with the second being Ty Lee.

When Aang is showing off for the locals, he does push-ups, switches to one-handed push-ups, and tops it with push-ups propelled only by his breath. This progression strongly resembles another show-off scene in the movie Kung Pow! Enter the Fist, which was released in 2002.